Arrangement and method for obtaining information using phase difference of modulated illumination
First Claim
1. A vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring objects in or about a vehicle, comprising:
- an infrared source from which modulated infrared illumination is emitted into an area in or about the vehicle;
a receiver arranged to receive infrared illumination reflected from an object in a path of the modulated illumination; and
circuitry coupled to said receiver and said source and arranged to compare a phase of the emitted modulated illumination with a phase of the received illumination at a common frequency to determine a phase difference between the modulated illumination and the reflected illumination,said circuitry being arranged to obtain three-dimensional information about the object from the determined phase difference and monitor movement of the object based on data obtained from the three-dimensional information.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Land-based vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring objects in or about a vehicle includes a source from which modulated illumination is emitted into an area in or about the vehicle, a receiver arranged to receive illumination reflected from an object in the path of the modulated illumination, and circuitry coupled to the receiver and the source and arranged to compare a phase of the modulated illumination with a phase of the reflected radiation at a common frequency to determine whether there is a phase difference between the modulated illumination and the reflected illumination. The phase difference is a measure of a property of the object, such as the distance between the object and the source/receiver, which can be co-located. Otherwise, if the source and receiver and not co-located or substantially co-located, the distance is a measure of the distance of travel of the illumination.
71 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring objects in or about a vehicle, comprising:
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an infrared source from which modulated infrared illumination is emitted into an area in or about the vehicle; a receiver arranged to receive infrared illumination reflected from an object in a path of the modulated illumination; and circuitry coupled to said receiver and said source and arranged to compare a phase of the emitted modulated illumination with a phase of the received illumination at a common frequency to determine a phase difference between the modulated illumination and the reflected illumination, said circuitry being arranged to obtain three-dimensional information about the object from the determined phase difference and monitor movement of the object based on data obtained from the three-dimensional information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for monitoring objects in or about a vehicle, comprising:
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arranging an infrared illumination source on the vehicle; emitting modulated illumination from the infrared source into an area in or about the vehicle; receiving illumination reflected from an object in a path of the emitted modulated illumination at a location on the vehicle; comparing a phase of the modulated illumination with a phase of the reflected radiation at a common frequency to determine a phase difference between the modulated illumination and the reflected illumination; obtaining three-dimensional information about the object from the determined phase difference; and monitoring movement of the object based on data obtained from the three-dimensional information. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for controlling an occupant protection device in a vehicle which protects an occupant of the vehicle in the event of a crash involving the vehicle, comprising:
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arranging an infrared illumination source on the vehicle; emitting modulated illumination from the infrared source into an area in or about the vehicle; receiving illumination reflected from an object in a path of the emitted modulated illumination at a location on the vehicle; comparing a phase of the modulated illumination with a phase of the reflected radiation at a common frequency to determine a phase difference between the emitted modulated illumination and the reflected illumination; deriving a distance between the object or a part thereof and a location on the vehicle from which the modulated illumination is emitted and at which the reflected illumination is received; obtaining three-dimensional information about the object from the determined phase difference; monitoring movement of the object based on data obtained from the three-dimensional information; and controlling the occupant protection device based at least in part on the derived distance and the monitored movement of the object. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification